Mark Wahlberg’s foundation donates $10,000 to teen center

Share via e-mail

The Malden Teen Enrichment Center has received a $10,000 boost from actor Mark Wahlberg’s charitable foundation. The donation was prompted by a street hockey tournament fund-raiser called Home for the Holidays, held for the teen center on Dec. 23. The event was organized by Scott Saia, a security coordinator for the Wahlberg family and a Malden native. The day after the tournament — which raised about $7,000 for the center — Saia received a call from Wahlberg’s foundation, pledging $10,000, he said. “It floored me,” Saia said. “Not that it surprised me, knowing the Wahlbergs, but it wasn’t expected. It was the best Christmas gift I could get.” The teen center, located at 1 Salem St., offers leadership and educational programs, and gym access in Malden. It opened last month.